Thursday, 23 July 2015

In Which Season Should You Sell in Sydney?

Traditionally,
winters have been a notoriously unwise choice for putting a house up for sale in Sydney. The sky is
a dull grey and the trees are stripped of their luscious leaves. Even floor to
ceiling windows will let in very little light, giving the interior a cold or
artificial feel. A little bit of drizzle is not only going to prevent you from
showcasing any outdoor areas, but may even turn some unenthusiastic buyers away
from the auction altogether. Yet it seems that in Sydney’s booming property
market, even the greys of winter and not keeping buyers away.

In fact, in
early July 2015, a record breaking winter weekend saw over 600 homes go under
the hammer across Sydney. This is a comment both on the increase of winter
sales, as well as the huge boom in general. This 600 figure would have been
thought extremely high for spring of only three years ago.

Sellers are
looking to branch out to winter sales in an attempt to attract a greater number
of crowds in a quieter market. In the spring months, the historically most
popular selling time, it can be a challenge to lure buyers away from the
hundreds of other auctions on the day. With sellers desperate to take advantage
of the swelling of property value before it bursts, this is a competitive time
and everyone is rushing to book up agents.

Some
industry veterans have suggested that with so much media hype around Sydney
property, buyers and to an extent the general public are choosing to make a
conscious effort to educate themselves about what is out there and what homes
are worth. Old selling tactics like nice decorating and the weather outside are
becoming less and less influential as buyers become savvier about orientation,
space and the predicted growth of the area.

That being
said, if you are thinking of selling in winter it is a good idea to quickly
insert a number of evergreen or winter-flowering plants throughout the garden.
Some greenery inside, as well as warm tones go a long way. Make use of a
fireplace if you’ve got it, and go for the cosy factor that all Melburnians
crave rather than the spring outdoors.

The
question is, as spring rolls around this year, will the hiked priced continue
to soar to ridiculous levels? Spring has traditionally been peak selling
season. Agents recommend waiting for the bigger properties to really shine
under the spring sun. Temperatures are warm without being hot, and it puts
ideas in the minds of buyers about lazing outside and entertaining. New growth
is also an instant boost to any garden or courtyard, and far more appealing
than a bare or deciduous surrounding landscape.

The choice
for sellers can go either way. There are plenty scrambling to take advantage of
this price hike, but plenty are still clinging on to their homes, hoping to see
the boom keep on climbing, and hoping to be rewarded for their patience. These
home owners could be on to something. Reputable sources note that the serious
increase in Chinese investment in Sydney and Melbourne is just getting started.
Liberalisation of China’s capital markets is only set to see more and more
foreign money coming to Australian shores.

Some talk
of bursting bubbles and others talk of a relatively small change of pace in the
near future. Property is always a gamble, but there is no doubt that the
upcoming spring season is set to break records left, right and centre. To put
your suburban house up for sale in
Sydney, take a look around the impressive Bid Rhino site at http://www.bidrhino.com.au/nsw/houses-for-sale/.